The world was dark, but warm. It was empty, but somehow enough. Shadowfern felt no pain, just resolve in his shifting green eyes, which didn't even seem to exist. Only a couple things were present in his drifting mind: the stars, and how brightly they'd glown just seconds before; and his sister's sea-green eyes, locking with his just a moment ago. Or, was it a moment? It could been a thousand seasons, and it could have been less than a minute. He didn't know. Time wasn't real. Nothing was.
His eyes blinked open, filling his world with color and light. Shapes floated through the sudden brightness, taking the form of starry cats as his gaze focused. He studied them carefully. Funny, some of them seemed so familiar. That innocent smile and striped pelt that was so similar to Fernpaw's. That calico fur and amber eyes that matched Tawnystar's perfectly.
But they were dead.
And so it seemed was he.
The realization didn't hit him as hard as he'd expected.
In some odd way, he knew he'd never make it back. The world simply wasn't that giving.
But why were Fernpaw and Tawnystar in the Dark Forest? Isn't that where he should be? And why was it so bright?
Ideas clicked together in his mind, like his life was an elaborate puzzle and he'd just placed the final piece.
"StarClan?"
He spoke for the first time, and his voice was no longer dark and growling like it'd been in life, nor hollow and broken like it had been in death. It was clear, soft, and determined.
"But-" He looked over the faces of Dawnflower, Fernpaw, Tawnystar.
He'd killed them. Taken their lives away. He shouldn't be here, standing next to them like he should be among them.
"But I should be in the Dark Forest! I don't deserve this! I've taken so much from you! I'm so sorry..."
His sentence trailed away, as he felt a warm salty tear roll down his face. He'd done so much he couldn't take back, and he shouldn't be rewarded for that.
The cats around Shadowfern smiled, warm, real smiles.
Thorntail, Pondpaw, Minnowheart, Russetfire, Leafblossom, Frogpelt, Fishfoot, Cloudmist, Fernpaw, Dawnflower, and Tawnystar, their faces were filled with mirth.
And together, they said the one phrase.
Just one phrase, three small words.
Three small words that filled Shadowfern with hope, joy, and closure for the moons in the starry forests forever.
"I forgive you."
( that's a wrap on this story ! along with your usual feedback, please lmk in the reviews which of these you'd like to see next : continuing to cross-post the next book in this series or cross-post some other fandom crossover works, most of which are still unfinished ? everything will be brought over eventually, just wondering what you'd like to see first ! as always, thank you so much for reading this fic, even though I now think of the writing and the plot choice as horrific. I promise in later fics it does get better ! love from your author, athena )